ECCI awarded more than £600,000 to KIC-start low carbon projects
ECCI has been awarded more than £600,000 by EU innovation agency EIT Climate-KIC to deliver low carbon projects and business support programmes in 2018.
The centre has been granted the funding to deliver programmes to get climate start-ups investment-ready and two new projects which aim to drive systemic change for a low carbon future. It will also support ECCI to continue its work as a low carbon and climate innovation hub
Accelerator
The three-stage, 18-month Climate-KIC Accelerator programme offers early stage entrepreneurs access to up to €60,000 grant funding, business coaching, a range of masterclasses and free workspace at ECCI’s award-winning low carbon hub.
In 2017 alone, the 17 start-ups taking part in ECCI’s Accelerator programme scooped 14 awards and more than £400,000 in investment.
Greenhouse
For ideas at an earlier stage of development, Climate-KIC's Greenhouse offers a preincubation programme and up to €2,500 in funding, along with tailored workshops and support.
Connected Clusters
ECCI is one of six city-based ecosystems – all partners of EIT Climate-KIC – joining forces for the ConnectedClusters project between now and 2020.
It focusses on identifying what works in delivering effective climate action across six clusters – Edinburgh, London, Birmingham, Dublin, Valencia and Frankfurt – and then replicating this in other city-regions across Europe.
ECCI Director, Professor Andy Kerr, said:
“Clusters exemplify the collaboration that’s needed to drive radical transformations in energy, transport and buildings for a thriving zero carbon future.
“Edinburgh’s ecosystem brings together the funding, climate targets, expertise and entrepreneurial spark to help drive change on a massive scale.
“This project aims to take what works and replicate it to drive systemic change – the perfect partner to our work supporting innovative start-ups to come to market.”
Financing Sustainable Cities
ECCI is also leading a new project to help cities unlock the private funding they need to play their full part in delivering the infrastructure to meet climate resilient, low carbon goals.
Financing Sustainable Cities will identify the barriers to financing low carbon growth. It will also engage city leaders, financiers and other key stakeholders in developing a plan for city investment.
Part of EIT Climate-KIC’s Low Carbon City Lab initiative, it will bring together three cities – Edinburgh, Birmingham and Dublin. The project will lay the groundwork for a broader programme of work from 2019 onwards.
Want to explore ECCI's work with EIT Climate-KIC?